Hair-curling machine



HAIR CURLING' MACHINE Filed June 27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 11, 1930. QSWALD 1,781,244

HAIR CURLING MACHINE Filed June 2,7, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 11, 1930 PATENT OFFICE CLYDE D. OSWALD, 01 SAN BEBNABDINO, CALIFORNIA HAIR-CURLING MACHINE Application filed June 27,

My invention relates to hair curling machines of the type having a plurality of individual hair curlin units electrically heated. In machines of this character provision has I been made for automatically controlling the duration of current supplied to the several units; but as far as I am aware no provision has been made for controlling automatically the degree of heat generated by any one curling unit, and as a consequence overheating and burning of the hair and scalp result unless closely watched by the operator.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide in a hair curling machine or as an attachment for the conventional hair curling machine,

a regulator for the curling units of the machine by which the heat generated thereby when reaching or exceedinga predetermined degree functions to discontinue the supply and again continues the current supply thereto only when the heat has fallen below the predetermined degree, thereby automatically regulating the degree of heat produced in re spect to the hair and in a manner to prevent overheating or burning of the hair or the scalp.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a heat regulator of the above described character which is adjustable to control the maximum degree of heat generated by the curling units, thereby rendering the units adaptable to hair possessing different textures which necessitate different degrees of heat to eifect proper curling thereof.

I will describe only one form of hair curlingmachine and one form of heat regulating means embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is aview showing in rear elevation one form of hair curling machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view showing the machine in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating 1928. Serial No. 288,572.

the electrical parts of the machine and the circuit therefor.

In carrying out my invention I provide a board or panel 15 of suitable insulating material to the rear side of which is secured a horizontal shelf 16 also of insulating material. Beneath and at one end of the shelf 16 is a partition 17 likewise formed of insulating material and provided for the purpose of mounting certain parts of an electric switch.

As illustrated to advantage in Figs. 2 and 3 the aforesaid switch comprises a movable contact arm 18 of conducting material which has its upper end looped as indicated at 19 to rotatively embrace a pin 20 secured within the partition 17 and constituting a binding post for a conductor as will beclear from an inspection of Fig. 1. The lower end of the contact arm is adapted to engage the stationary contact of the switch which in the present instance is in the form of a shaft 21 having screw threaded engagement with a bracket 22 of conducting material, the shaft being extended through the panel 15 to the front side thereof where its end is provided with a handle or knob 23. The bracket 22 is secured to the partition 17 bymeans of a screw bolt 24 providing a binding post for a conductor. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the bracket 22 is split and provided with a screw 25 by means of which it can be adjusted to receive the shaft 21 and in a manner to permit rotation of the shaft and through the medium of the screw threads to eifect a forward or rearward feeding of the shaft according as it is rotated in one direction or the other. Thus it will be seen that the stationary contact is adjustable to vary its position in respect to the movable contact 18 and for a purpose to be described hereinafter. A spring 26 is connected at one end to the arm 18 and at the other end to a pin 27 secured within the partition 17 The spring serves to yieldably urge the contact arm 18 away from the contact shaft 21, but such movement of the arm is controlled by a thermostat which will now be described.

The thermostat indicated at 29 is of conventional form in that it is constructed of two strips of metal having different coefiicients of expansion so that when heated-the strips will be flexed in one direction and to adegree depending upon the degree of-heat. As shown in Fig. 4 the thermostat is secured loyv means 5 of screws within the groove 31 of a head member 32, the latter being formed of any good heat conducting material and provided with an extension 33 which is secured by means of screws 34 to the rear side of the panel 15. The free end of the thermostat 29 is provided with a screw 35 adjustable there-. in by means of nuts 36 and disposed at an angle thereto so that its head has engagement with aninsert 37 of the arm 18 which is con- 15 structed of insulating material.

In the normal position of the thermostat 29 the screw 35 engages the insert 37 and holds the contact arm 18 in engagement with the shaft 21 and against the tension of the g spring 26. Thus the switch is closed. When within the influence of heat of a predetermined degree, the thermostat is flexed to the left as when viewed in Fig.3, thereby permitting the contact arm 18 to swing to the left 25 under the action of the spring 26. Thus the switch is opened. It will be understood that by an adjustment of shaft 21 the degree of flexing of the thermostat necessary to permit the arm 18 to move out of engagement with so the shaft may be regulated as desired, and through such regulation the degree of heat necessary to open the switch can be varied as required. v

The head member 32 is of such contour as 85 to permit a conventional electric hair curling 1 unit to be laced thereon in the manner illustrated in ig. 4 so as to surround a major portion of the thermostat 29 and when energized to transmit its heat to the thermostat for actuating the latter. As shown in Fig. 4 the curling unit indicated at 38 is of tubular form, and within its walls is an electric heating coil 39. Thus when in applied position on the head member the coil is in intimate relation to the head memberand the thermostat in order that the latter may properly respond to the influence of the heat of the coil.

To promote transmission of heat from the coil to the thermostat. the head member is perforated as indicated at 40. It will of course be understood that the construction of the head member is such that the curling unit can be readily applied or withdrawn from the head member. and that when in applied position it is supported on the head member and in intimaterelation to the thermostat.

The curling unit 38 constitutes one of a plurality of such units as embodied in the conventional hair curling machine, but to render this particular unit applicable tothe head member and other partsof the machine it is separated from the other units of the machine and provided with a separate plug 41 (Fig. 1)

which is adapted to be inserted into a suitable socket 42 mounted on a partition 43 rising for electrical connection to a'source of current for the machine as will be described'in connection with Fig. 5.

Above the partition 43 is a block 44 of insulating material secured to the rear side of the panel 15 and carrying an electro-magnet- "from the shelf The socket42 is adapted ically operated switch designed to control the v supply of current to the curling units of the machine independently of the thermostatic switcha The construction of the electromagnetically operated switch constitutes no part of my present invention as its structure is conventional. It comprises an electromagnet 45 having an armature 46 operatively connected to a pair of contact arms 47 so that when the magnet is energized it will move the contacts into engagement with stationary contacts 48. The contacts 47 are yieldably urged toopen position by means of a spring 49 connected to the armature as shown. Thus when the magnet is de-energized, the switch is opened. This switch is electrically associated with a source of current and electric curling units as illustrated in Fig. 5.

For the purposeof controlling the duration.

perature of the head member 32 which in turn indicates the temperature of the curling unit 38, I provide a conventional thermometer 51, disposed in a slot 52 of the panel 15 and having its lower end disposed within a pocket 53 of the extension 33. As the member 32 and the extension 33 are formed of good heat con ducting material, it will be manifest that the heat generated by the coil 29 will be readily conducted to the thermometer and thus a very .accurate indication of the existing degree of heat will be visibly indicated.

In describing the operation of the machine reference is had to the diagrammatic showing in Fig. 5 in which I have illustrated other curling units 38 of the machine, and which units are connected in parallel with the unit 38 so that the heat generated by the unit 38 a is truly indicative of the heat generated by any of the other units. By placing the unit 38 on the head member 32 and inserting the plug 41 into the socket 42 current from a source of supply such as a generator G is supphed to the winding of the magnet 45 and through the following circuit: from positive side of generator G through wires 54 and. 55, winding 45, wires 56 and 57, time-con- .through winding 38, wires 60 and 61, contacts 48 and 47 through armature 46, and wires 62 and 59 back to generator. The circuit for windings 38 is from wires 54 and 54. through windings 38, wire 61, contacts 48 and 47, armature 46, and wires 62 and back to generator.

Thus the several curling units are now energized, with the heat generated by the winding 39 acting on the thermostat 29. When the heat thus generated reaches a predetermined degree in accordance with an adjustment of the switch which the thermostat controls, the thermostat opens the switch so that the contacts 21 and 18 no longer engage each other. Thus the circuit for the magnet 45 is disrupted resulting in de-energization of the magnet and opening of the switch which it controls. With the relay switch open, current is no longer supplied to the curling units and consequently they start to cool. When the temperature of the units drops below the predetermineddegree the thermostat returns to its normal position, thus causing the contacts 21'and 18 to again energize the magnet 45 and close the relay switch, thereby again supplying current to the curlin units. This circuit remains intact until t e heat generated by the winding 39 is again sufiicient to actuate the thermostat to open its corresponding switch whereupon the circuit is again disrupted. This cycle of operation continues to the end of regulating the temperature of the curling unlts to a predetermined degree in accordance with the adjustment of the thermostatic switch.

Thus the mean temperature of'the curlin units can be regulated and varied at wil to effectively curl hair requiring (iii-- ferent degrees of heat in accordance with the texture thereof.

The duration of the curlin operation is controlled by the time-contro ed switch 50, and by reference to Fig. 5 it will be clear that when the switch automatically opens at the end of a predetermined period it functions to disrupt the circuit of the magnet 45 thereby permitting opening of the relay switch wit consequent de-energization of the windin of the curlin units.

Although have herein s own and described only one form of hair curling machine embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a support, a head memher having an extension secured to the support and formed with a recess for the reception of a thermometer, said head member having a groove and perforated so that when the head member is extended into an electric hair curling unit heat will be readily transmitted to the groove, a switch on the support comprising a stationary contact and a movable contact yieldably urged to open position, the stationary contact being adjustable toward and away from the movable contact, and a thermostat secured within the said groove normally maintaining the movable contact in engagement with the stationary contact but permitting it to open when flexed.

2. In combination, a support, a head memher having an extension secured to the support and formed with a recess for the reception of a thermometer, said head memher having a roove and perforated so that when the hea member is extended into an electric hair curling unit heat will be readily n5 transmitted to the groove, a switch on the support comprising a bracket, a stationary contact threaded in the bracket, a movable contact pivoted to swing toward and away from the stationary contact to engage or disengage the latter, and a thermostat secured in the said groove and operating to normally maintain the movable contact in engagement with the stationary contact but permitting it to open when flexed.

Signed at Los Angeles in the county of Los Angeles, and State of California this 13th day of June, A. D. 1928.

CLYDE D. OSWALD. 

